Well........Christine you certainly put things in perspective, I appreciate your strength in moving through the "wreckage" and getting on with the business of living. I believe in living in "an attitude of gratitude" and something tells me you do too. No matter what life throws at you if you look for it, you will find, something to be thankful for (sometimes it's just being on this side of the earth!!!) Life is amazing! You're right that there usually is (and should be)something to laugh about - my cats are the prime suspects there - one of the 4 of them usually manages to make me laugh (or at least smile) when I'm feeling blue. Annette's post of her hens running with long strands of spaghetti made me laugh. It also sounds very nice and relaxing to sit by the coop and watch "her girls". As for being a collector - ummmm - guilty - although I do it quite unconsciously, I seem to have amassed a lot of stuff, like books ( I love books), cards (I have birthday cards, Christmas cards, Valentine's, Anniversary, cards from all occasions for many many years), craft materials (I love to make stuff, refurbish treasures found in the dumpster, fix stuff), unusual containers for candles (old lamp pieces, light fixtures, car parts) I love candlelight!!! Vintage tablecloths (I use them inside and outside) & napkins. The only things I ever really looked for and collected were dinner bells and milk glass pieces. When I really like something I tend to want more of it, friends, cats, the stuff listed above, good thing I only want one DH!!! :) June

I miss Aleene's but also Carol Duvall and all of the craft shows on "The Home and Garden Network" that appeared in the early 2000"s. Before the DVR I taped them and watched them over and over again. I was visiting my cousin the other day and she had her fall decorations out and I admired some pilgrims and she said, "you made those and gave them to me". It took me back to those days. I still love crafts and make an effort to balance work with crafting and art. I know my daughter's generation would watch and enjoy a Craft Network for their creative time with my grandchildren.

eandhl- Call the company and see if you can get another copy of the Cookbook that came with your oven. It has all kinds of recipes in it. Once you've used a recipe in the book, you can quickly translate it to one of your regular recipes, or use the recipes in the book as a guide-line for adjusting your regular recipes. Panned Bread: Place the panned bread on the low rack which is sitting on the Carousel Turntable (the turntable is also a utensil itself). Low-Mix / 325°F / 20-25 minutes for one loaf (1 to 1.5 pound loaves), 25-30 minutes for 2 loaves. NO preheating. You can place shaped breads (a braided bread or round "country" loaf) on the turntable (with or without a piece of parchment paper) and allow it to rise on the turntable. No preheating is needed to bake it. Bake for three-fourths of the time in your conventional recipe on LOW MIX (I usually reduce the temperature by 25°F). Cookies: On the low rack (which sits on the carousel turntable) for one pan, or for two pans, place one pan of cookies on the carousel turntable, and another pan on the tall rack (which is perched on the turntable). Make sure the turntable is ON. For cookie sheets, I cover 12-inch round pizza pans with parchment paper. Make the dough balls about 3/4-inch big (or smaller), placed 2-inches apart. Preheat the oven / Bake 12-minutes at 350° / Convection Setting. I've found it takes less time to bake cookies after the first trays are done, so watch them carefully. Baked Goods: Use the Low Mix setting for baked goods that require more than 20 minutes baking time. - Angel food and bundt cakes, quick breads and yeast breads and large muffins are examples of foods that work on this setting. Convection: Ideal for foods requiring 20 minutes or less cooking time. Preheating is necessary with convection cooking. You can use two 6-cup muffin tins at the same time, place one on the carousel tray, place the other on the high rack. Make sure the turntable is ON. A rectangular cake pan, large cookie sheet or 12-cup muffin pan are ideal for convection baking on the low rack with the turntable OFF. I reduce the temperature by 25° and baking time to 25-50% from the typical oven temperature and time for the recipe. I usually check things at 50% of the normal baking time and adjust from there. I make notes on my recipes for baking in the Sharp. Hope that gives you some new ideas... -Grainlady

Do you mean what I store in each area? I'll try...If it's not what you wanted/what you were asking for, let me know and I'll try again. Pantry area, starting at the left end by the freezer: Step stool cabinet, freezer, fridge, broom cabinet...all with cookbooks above. The walk-in pantry has my wheeled bins for grains and pet food. (I have another placed planned for pet food, so hopefully some day it will be out of the pantry) Also in the pantry: Grain mills, smaller containers of various grains, canned goods, extra of baking and other supplies, dry beans, rice, crockpot, garbage bags, baskets of potatoes, oranges, onions, garlic. Cooking area: Above microwave is microwave dishes...Like 2 qt Pyrex covered casserole dishes. In the upper section of that cabinet is a shelf with my extra oven racks, and another with extra party napkins, paper plates, etc that we don't need very often. In the base cabinet under the microwave is cooling racks, glass baking pans, and large broiler/roasting pans. I have 5 shelf spaces in that cabinet so things don't have to stack too much. I got so tired of having to nest everything just right and sort through to get the pan I wanted. In the gray cabinets: Upper to left of stove: spices Over stove: hood vent pipe...Wasn't supposed to be there, but that's a long story Upper to right of stove: Spices Base to left of stove: Drawer 1 (top): utensils like whisks, can openers, tongs, thermometers Drawer 2: Pyrex measuring pitchers Drawer 3: pot and pan lids Under stove: top drawer: stainless pots and colanders bottom drawer: cast iron Dutch oven and skillets, non-stick and cast iron right of stove: Drawer 1: utensils like metal spatulas/pancake turners, cooking spoons, meat fork Drawer 2: Wok and wok grate Drawer 3: waffle irons Wood cabinet to right of stove: Upper: oils and vinegars, noodles, etc. Lower: large stainless bowls, vacuum sealer, deep fryer, flip-over waffle iron On counter: canisters with flour and sugar since the baking ingredients are in the baking area and occasionally I need just a bit when cooking at the stove. The other canisters hold cookies. :-) Main sink wall The shelf built into the wall has some 'display items' at the top and coffee and tea supplies, coffee grinder, and mugs in the rest. The coffee maker sits on the counter in front of it. In the far left drawer bank: Drawer 1: kitchen towels and dish rags Drawer 2: Panini grill Drawer 3: pasta maker and salad spinner (One day I should actually try out the pasta maker...A friend gave us their extra) Then dishwasher, sink (cleaning supplies and dw detergent underneath), and the other dishwasher. The far left base cabinets hold dishes...bowls (cereal and pasta sized), plates (dinner and salad/dessert), platters, and Tupperware sort of storage containers. (I think they're actually mostly Rubbermaid) The hutch above holds glassware, pitchers, and serving bowls. Main sink side of island: From right as facing the island from that side (nearest stove): Trash and recycle pullout with knives above. 4 drawers: vegetable peelers, graters, knife sharpeners 2 mixing bowl sets 3 and 4 are yet to be determined for sure, because my dh just replaced a doored cabinet with the drawers that I thought would be more useful. A very deep drawer/pullout that holds cutting boards and rolls of plastic wrap, foil, parchment, etc. Baking side of island: Prep sink 2 drawers that hold my bread mixer and bread pans Shelves...also new, but I think I'll put baskets or boxes that will hold cake decorating supplies and cookie cutters, because they're in my way in the baking area Baking/breakfast center wall: From left... Breakfast center Upper: cereal, peanut butter, honey, crackers, chips Lower: Drawer 1: bread Drawer 2: napkins, placemats Drawer 3: water bottles Fridge with cabinet above that holds vases and plastic pitchers, and a shelf for my extra fridge shelves. Baking center with supplies like flour sugar, spices, dried fruit, flavorings, coconut, etc. etc in the uppers. Base cabinets have utensils in all the top drawers. A baking sheet rack in the doored cupboard, and in the big drawers: Top: Food processor, chopper, handmixer, stand mixer parts Bottom: cake, cheesecake, and pie pans Oven with vitamins, medicines above, and storage of extra dishes above that. In the drawer under the oven are hot pads and my pizza stone. I think that covers it and I hope it's right...I'm not going to read it over before posting, because it's taken me so long and my family wants dinner!! :-D